Spotlight
Saudi’s Postponed Asian Cup
Missile attacks on Riyadh have forced the tournament to be delayed until December 2027. The postponement is a setback to the kingdom’s sports push, which was already being hit by a shrinking economy.
Heritage Without Heirs
Syria’s shadow puppetry, oud-making and glassblowing, which once won UNESCO recognition, are now at risk of dying out, say their practitioners.
A Viral Yemeni Video Has Turned Houthi Leaders’ Own Words Against Them
A viral video by the Yemeni influencer Fidaa al-Din Yahya contrasts the group’s statements with its actions, and challenges the idea that its stance toward the Palestinians should shield it from scrutiny over its conduct at home.
A View From Ohio on Election Day
To many Americans, the Buckeye State, like its miles of flatlands, is an archetype of the middle ground, a kind of baseline for the ordinary. But as the midterm election frenzy comes to an end, the state’s outsize role offers enduring lessons for a country in flux.
Mbappé’s Mao Gaffe Costs Him in China
A throwaway line on a French talk show cost the Real Madrid star his Chinese sponsors and left his club and La Liga scrambling to protect one of soccer’s most lucrative markets.
Yemen’s War Has Turned Facebook Into a Mourning Wall
As fighting intensified this fall, Yemenis turned Facebook into a running record of the dead. Hundreds of posts trace the lives of students and graduates who felt they had no choice but to take up arms.
Thirteen Years of Harassment, and Three Minutes to Close Mada Masr
The court-ordered closure of Mada Masr, after years of legal and security harassment, and the continued detention of six Matsda2sh journalists signal an intensifying crackdown on independent media. It comes as President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who is preparing for a post-2030 political transition, warns about threats to national consciousness.